Space Ranger Fred and the Tick Tock Tale

When an ordinary school day grinds slowly by, Fred Sanders finds himself wishing his comic-book hero and real-life friend, Zando Centauri, would appear and rescue him from boredom. He gets far more than he bargained for when time suddenly freezes, crayons hang in mid-air, and Zando lands his rocket in the town square with an urgent mission.

Emperor Gandori of the planet Jambori needs help. Togz, the emperor's rough-edged but loyal delivery driver, has been relying on a ridiculous gadget called the F.A.R.T. app - a Freeze And Rearrange Time device - to make sure his important deliveries are never late. But now the app has failed, and chaos is looming. With packages to deliver, clocks to understand, and plenty of confusion about hours, minutes, quarter past and quarter to, only Fred can save the day.

Armed with his space suit, his quick thinking, and his knowledge of how to tell the time, Fred blasts off once again aboard Zando's eccentric rocket, the ZEE CEE I Mark IV. Along the way there are stops on Venus, strange snacks, cheering crowds, pink chocolate, bizarre gadgets, and plenty of laughs. But at the heart of the adventure is an important challenge: can Fred teach his friends that understanding time is far better than trying to control it?

Funny, imaginative and packed with playful learning, Space Ranger Fred and the Tick Tock Tale is a lively adventure that helps young readers build confidence with telling the time while enjoying a wildly entertaining journey through space. Perfect for children aged 6 to 12, this charming story blends humour, friendship, problem-solving and gentle STEM-style learning in a way that makes reading feel like an adventure.

A delightful chapter book for independent readers, families, classrooms and storytime, this is another unforgettable mission in the growing Space Ranger Fred universe.

Matt Newnham is a British children's author and storyteller best known as the creator of the Space Ranger Fred series. His books combine humour, adventure, and hidden STEM learning to encourage children aged 6-12 to read, explore, and think creatively. Through stories, school visits, and the Menturity learning framework, Matt aims to help young readers move from "I think" to "I can explain," building confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.